


Codeword: Pineapple

by Windfighter



Series: Winteriron week [1]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Hurt Tony, M/M, Secret Relationship, Sick Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 14:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19929325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: Neither Tony nor Bucky is very good at taking care of themselves. Or at asking for help. To make it easier they decided on a codeword, which had the added bonus of not alerting the other avengers to their distress.It might not have worked as well as they thought.





	Codeword: Pineapple

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Winteriron week, prompt "secret caretaking"
> 
> And after reading some other people's take on this prompt I'm pretty sure I misunderstood it but eh, who cares.

Tony locked himself in the workshop the moment the battle was over. His armor was broken, his clothes drenched and his body painful. He was used to pain, elected to ignore it and got to work on repairing everyone's gear.

The pain got worse over the day. Tony stabilized his broken leg with duct tape and pieces of armor. It wasn't perfect but it would have to do. He did the same to his arm when he could no longer ignore the pain coming from it.

Bucky stared at Tony, arms crossed over his chest. Tony was shivering even though Friday had raised the temperature and he was dressed in three thick sweaters.

”You should go to medical.”

”Hate hositals.”

”Go to bed then.”

”Can rest when I'm dead.”

”That will be soon if you keep this up.”

Tony didn't answer and Bucky left.

Tony coughed. His shaking hand gripped the table to keep him from falling off the chair.

Tony's eyes couldn't focus. His body felt heavy. He laid on the couch in the workshop unable to move.

”Friday, is Bucky here?”

”Yes boss, should I call for him?”

Tony wanted to, but he declined. He had handled worse on his own before.

The workshop was out of food. It didn't matter, it had been days since he had been able to keep food down anyway. He could still keep water down if he was careful while drinking so there was no need for medical.

”Friday...”

Tony struggled to put his coat on and gave up when it got stuck on the improvised armbrace.

”Call Happy”, his voice was weak and trembling.”I'm heading out for pineapples.”

The workshop was empty. Bucky hoped it meant Tony had finally gone to the medbay. He continued to the kitchen, grabbed some pancakes and sat down between Steve and Sam. They greeted him, kept discussing new routes for their morning jog. They decided on nothing and Sam turned to the ceiling.

”Hey Friday, Tony in? I want to ask about my wings.”

”Boss has gone out for pineapples”, Friday answered and Bucky grew stiff. Sam laughed.

”Pineapples? Couldn't he just have had you order them?”

”Boss prefers to get his own pineapples.”

Steve shook his head. Bucky finished his pancakes and hurried away from the kitchen. Sam raised an eyebrow at Bucky's sudden disappearance and Steve chuckled.

”It's a codeword, he's going after Tony.”

”Why would they need a codeword for that?”

Steve grabbed the newspaper and opened it, smiling.

”They think we still haven't figured out about them.”

Bucky grabbed a backpack, threw some clothes and his tablet into it. He stopped by the gym where Steve was and waved to him.

”I'm heading home for a few days, feeling a bit too crowded here.”

Steve nodded.

”You'll be okay on your own?”

”Yeah, I just need some quiet.”

”Okay”, Steve smiled. ”You can borrow my bike if you need to.”

Bucky waved goodbye, ran to the garage and took Steve's bike. He may have broken just about every speed limit he came across as he drove to the tiny apartment he kept for when he needed to be alone. He opened the door and stopped.

Tony was on the floor. Unconscious or sleeping, Bucky wasn't sure. He sat down, pulled his fingers through Tony's hair.

”Hey sweetie, please tell me you're alive.”

Tony coughed and Bucky let out a sigh.

”Good enough. Come on, we're taking you to the hospital.”

”Nnnn...”

”I'm not accepting a no this time, but I promise we won't stay longer than it takes for them to bandage you up and prescribe medicine.”

”Nn...”

Bucky got to his feet, droped the backpack on the couch and grabbed a blanket. Tony was still on the floor, but had rolled over to his back. He was pale beneath the fever flush, sweat plastered his hair to his face but he was still shivering. Bucky wrapped him in the blanket and lifted him. He made a weak noise of protest, which went ignored as Bucky carried him to the nearby hospital.

Tony was tucked into bed, broken limbs casted and elevated and a damp cloth on his forehead. Bucky sat next to him, one hand playing with his hair and the other dialing Pepper's number on the tablet. Pepper answered after two signals.

”Miss Potts”, Bucky greeted. ”Pineapple.”

”Pepp...” Tony whispered and started coughing. Bucky massaged his chest to help with the pain.

”Okay”, Pepper answered. ”Tell him to take it easy, I'll clear his schedule for the week.”

”Thank you.”

”Pepp...” Tony whispered again and Bucky could hear the helplessness in his voice.

”I know, honey”, he leaned down and kissed Tony's forehead. ”She'll come by later, you just take it easy until then.”

He carded his fingers through Tony's hair and Tony fell back to sleep.

Tony slept for two days, only woken up to take painkillers and antibiotics before slipping back into the darkness wih Bucky watching over him. Bucky barely left Tony's side, ordered food when he got hungry and asked his neighbour to fetch a few things from the grocery store. He was sitting on the bed, holding Tony's hand and watching The Lion King on the tablet when Tony finally stirred and blinked awake on his own.

”Hey there”, Bucky said.

”Hey...” Tony's voice was hoarse and Bucky held a glass of water out for him. There was a straw in it and he placed it betwen Tony's lips. Tony sucked greedily and Bucky put the glass away when half had been emptied.

”How are you feeling?”

”Like I've been through a meat grinder.”

He started to sit up, Bucky helped him. He leaned against Bucky and nodded at the tablet.

”What are we watching?”

”Whatever you want, doll.”

Tony sniffled, coughed and pressed himself closer to Bucky.

”Please, I'm just a gross mess right now.”

”Yeah, but you're _my_ gross mess”, Bucky kissed the top of Tony's head and grimaced. ”Think you have enough energy for a shower?”

”Maybe tomorrow.”

Tony's eyes started sliding shut and Bucky wrapped an arm around him before unpausing the movie.

Six hours later Tony woke up again. His movements cause Bucky to stir from his nap.

”Sorry”, Tony mumbled.

”No, it's fine”, Bucky yawned. ”You up for eating?”

”Maybe? Something small?”

”I'll make you some toast and soup, you just stay put.”

Bucky ruffled Tony's hair before getting out of bed. Tony attempted to get out as well, but Bucky held him down.

”Maybe tomorrow, darling.”

Tony was about to protest, but relaxed back into the sheets instead.

”Yeah, maybe tomorrow.”

”Bucky!”

Bucky ran from the kitchen into the bedroom. It was tomorrow and Tony was sitting on the edge of the bed in obvious distress.

”What? What's wrong? Nightmare?”

”What?” Tony blinked, shook his head. ”No. Just, how am I supposed to shower with the casts?”

”I'll help you”, Bucky kissed Tony. ”You'll have to brush your teeth on your own though.”

Tony was relaxing on the couch, his head in Bucky's lap and a damp cloth on his forehead. Bucky was half asleep and carding his fingers through Tony's hair. The little mermaid was playing on the television but neither was watching.

”Your fever is gone”, Bucky turned the thermometer off and kissed Tony's forehead. ”How are you feeling?”

”Still tired”, Tony yawned. ”Less meat grindy though.”

”It takes energy to heal broken bones.”

”I know. Urgh, it's the worst.”

He put his unbroken arm around Bucky, pulled him closer and kissed him.

”Thanks for taking care of me.”

”Thanks for letting me”, Bucky kissed Tony's forehead, nose and lips. ”Next time don't let it get this far though.”

”I'll make no promises.”

”So we're heading back to the compound now?”

”I think we can stay a couple more days.”

Tony fell back into the bed, pulling Bucky along with him.

Bucky returned first. Steve gave him a shit-eating grin.

”Hey Buck! Feeling better?”

”Yeah, I can definately stand you punks again.”

Steve winked at him, dragged him towards the gym.

”We were just about to start a training session, you're with Natasha.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

”Hey Tony!” Sam called. ”You found the pineapple?”

”Pineapple?”

”Friday said you left to get a pineapple.”

”Oh yeah. She's funny. It was a business trip.”

”Must have been one hell of a business trip to make you look like that.”

He gestured at Tony's casts and Tony smiled softly.

”It was pretty great, yeah.”

”Maybe take Bucky along next time.”

Sam grinned and left. Tony blinked, shook his head and went to the workshop. He had work to catch up to.

Tony stared at the shower, considered not taking one but he had a gala to attend to. He let out a sigh.

”Friday, pineapple.”

”Boss wants to know if anyone of you have a pineapple.”

Bucky got up from the couch, Natasha and Sam grinned as he did so.

”I'll fetch one for him.”

He swore he could hear them laughing as he left.

”Pineapple!” Bucky called out.

He sat up in the bed, breathed heavily. Two minutes later Tony appeared, sat down on the bed and held him close until the remnants of the nightmare left him.

”Let me know if you need a pineapple”, Bucky teased as Tony left for the workshop. Tony rolled his eyes and shot Bucky his paparazzi-smile.

”My knight in shining armor.”

His voice was sarcastic. Bucky smirked and returned to the breakfast. The others laughed when Tony disappeared.

The tomato rolled off the cutting board and down to the floor. Tony blinked, stared at it.

”Pineapple”, he whispered, barely aware of what he was saying, and Bucky was at his side instantly, gave him a hug and took the knife from him.

”It's okay, doll, I've got it.”

Several avengers watched them, shit-eating grins stuck to their faces. Tony and Bucky stared at their friends.

”Seems like the cat's out”, Tony muttered.

”Yeah”, Bucky agreed and kissed Tony's cheek. ”Maybe now you'll let me care for you outside of closed doors.”

”Right back at you.”

Tony kissed Bucky before sliding down in a chair to watch him work.

”Why pineapple though?” Steve asked a few days later.

”No reason”, Bucky blushed. Tony laughed and bumped their shoulders together.

”Turns out Buckaroo here is allergic to it. It evolved from there.”

”Tony doesn't like pineapples anyway, so it's not likely to come up in conversations.”

”Pretty smart, coming from two dumbasses”, Steve laughed and left them alone.

They could have stopped using pineapple as a codeword for help, but the protocols had been written and the habit had been formed. They stopped trying to be sneaky about it though and a few months later the other avengers had also started using it.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't decide whether I think this is pretty good or pretty horrible but I had fun writing it so at least that counts for something!


End file.
